1 T he proverbs (truths obscurely expressed, maxims, and parables) of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

2 T hat people may know skillful and godly Wisdom and instruction, discern and comprehend the words of understanding and insight,

3 R eceive instruction in wise dealing and the discipline of wise thoughtfulness, righteousness, justice, and integrity,

4 T hat prudence may be given to the simple, and knowledge, discretion, and discernment to the youth—

5 T he wise also will hear and increase in learning, and the person of understanding will acquire skill and attain to sound counsel —

6 T hat people may understand a proverb and a figure of speech or an enigma with its interpretation, and the words of the wise and their dark sayings or riddles.

7 T he reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge; but fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction, and discipline.

8 M y son, hear the instruction of your father; reject not nor forsake the teaching of your mother.

9 F or they are a chaplet (garland) of grace upon your head and chains and pendants for your neck.

10 M y son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

11 I f they say, Come with us; let us lie in wait blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause;

12 L et us swallow them up alive as does Sheol (the place of the dead), and whole, as those who go down into the pit;

13 W e shall find and take all kinds of precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder;

14 T hrow in your lot with us and be a sworn brother and comrade; let us all have one purse in common—

15 M y son, do not walk in the way with them; restrain your foot from their path;

16 F or their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.

17 F or in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird!

18 B ut they are lying in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives.

19 S o are the ways of everyone who is greedy of gain; such takes away the lives of its possessors.

20 W isdom cries aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the markets;

21 S he cries at the head of the noisy intersections; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:

22 H ow long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? And the scoffers delight in scoffing and fools hate knowledge?

23 I f you will turn (repent) and give heed to my reproof, behold, I '> Wisdom] will pour out my spirit upon you, I will make my words known to you.

24 B ecause I have called and you have refused, have stretched out my hand and no man has heeded it,

25 A nd you treated as nothing all my counsel and would accept none of my reproof,

26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when the thing comes that shall cause you terror and panic—

27 W hen your panic comes as a storm and desolation and your calamity comes on as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.

28 T hen will they call upon me but I will not answer; they will seek me early and diligently but they will not find me.

29 B ecause they hated knowledge and did not choose the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord,

30 W ould accept none of my counsel, and despised all my reproof,

31 T herefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be satiated with their own devices.

32 F or the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, and the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.

33 B ut whoso hearkens to me shall dwell securely and in confident trust and shall be quiet, without fear or dread of evil.